On April 28, 2008, 11 tornadoes tore through central and
southeastern Virginia
during the early afternoon.Tornadoes
can occur throughout the state, any time of year, with little or no
warning.Tornado preparedness is more
important than ever.

This school year, the statewide tornado drill will take
place on Tuesday, March 17, 2009 at 9:45 a.m. Should severe weather threaten
the state on March 17, the tornado drill will be rescheduled for 9:45 a.m. on
Wednesday, March 18.

The Code of Virginia
in 22.1-137.1 requires that all public schools participate in at least
one tornado drill per year. Participation in this drill would fulfill that
requirement. If this drill date or time is not convenient, schools are welcome
to choose an alternative date or time.

The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) supports
Tornado Preparedness Day. I encourage your schools to participate actively by
educating staff members and students about tornadoes and taking part in the
statewide tornado drill.

The school year has begun, so it is imperative that
information about the drill be disseminated as soon as possible. Please ensure
the drill is included in all school calendars and that school administrators
understand how to conduct a drill.

More information about tornado preparedness and a listing
of local emergency managers can be found at www.vaemergency.com. Your
local emergency manager can help to identify your schools' tornado safety areas
as well as develop your schools' emergency plans for both natural and
human-caused hazards.

We will work closely with the Virginia Department of
Emergency Management (VDEM) to disseminate information to schools about Tornado
Preparedness Day. VDEM will be sending:

A letter with links to tornado resources for
educators

Information about the upcoming statewide tornado
drill, and

A website address where you can register each
school's participation in the drill.

Entering each school's information will help VDEM
show the media and the public the full extent of school participation across
the state. Last year, more than 340,000 students, employees and family members
participated. With your help, we will be able to show a growing number of
schools and students who participate in the drill.

If you have any questions about Tornado Preparedness Day
or the statewide drill, please contact: